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AS practical skills and required practical activities
This topic preserves AS practical requirements and written-paper practical assessment.
10
Objectives
50
Flashcards
50
Questions
90 min
Study time
AQAA LevelChemistryPractical skills, mathematical requirements and assessment
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Syllabus checklist
What you need to know
10 objective pages available
AS apparatus and techniques4 objectives
- Use apparatus to measure mass, time, volume, temperature and pH.
- Use heating, titration, distillation, filtration and chromatography techniques.
- Handle solids and liquids safely, including hazardous substances.
- Measure reaction rates using appropriate methods.
AS required practical activities6 objectives
- Required practical 1: make up a volumetric solution and carry out a simple acid-base titration.
- Required practical 2: measure an enthalpy change.
- Required practical 3: investigate how rate changes with temperature.
- Required practical 4: identify required cations and anions using test-tube reactions.
- Required practical 5: distil a product from a reaction.
- Required practical 6: test for alcohol, aldehyde, alkene and carboxylic acid functional groups.
Key terms
mass measurementvolume measurementTitrationDistillationhazardous substancessafety precautionsreaction ratemeasuring apparatusvolumetric solutionacid-base titrationenthalpy changetemperature effect
Exam tips
- Mastering Measurement Techniques: Explain clearly by practice using different types of apparatus to measure mass, volume, time, temperature, and pH accurately. Link the point to AS apparatus and techniques, then state the evidence, calculation, mechanism, observation, or conclusion required by the question.
- Mastering Titration Techniques: Explain clearly by practice titration by carefully measuring the volume of the titrant added to the analyte until the endpoint is reached, using a color change indicator. Link the point to AS apparatus and techniques, then state the evidence, calculation, mechanism, observation, or conclusion required by the question.
Common mistakes
- Incorrect Measurement of Mass: Always ensure to zero the balance (tare) before placing the container or substance on it. This ensures that only the mass of the substance is measured. For example, if the balance reads 0.00 g after taring, and then you add a solid that weighs 5.00 g, the reading will accurately reflect the mass of the solid.
- Incorrect Titration Technique: To fix this, always note the initial reading before starting the titration and the final reading after the endpoint is reached. Use the formula: volume of titrant used = final reading - initial reading. For example, if the initial reading is 10.0 mL and the final reading is 25.0 mL, then: 25.0 mL - 10.0 mL = 15.0 mL. Therefore, the volume of titrant used is 15.0 mL.
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